CLUBFOCUS
Do you do much training after Ocean Diver ?
Entry-level training is the most popular , brings new members into the club and so is given priority . Further training is run ad hoc : at the higher grades we have four Sports Diver trainees , three Dive Leader trainees and three Advanced Diver trainees .
Instructor / Chair Elaine Jenkin ( right ) with a trainee
Octopush night
How did the Covid restrictions affect training ?
Covid hit us hard , preventing a cohort from completing Ocean Diver . This pause meant many of them did not renew their membership . Since our recovery , having a larger training cohort than in the past has led to different logistical problems : getting 20 + divers into the pool on time is hard enough , let alone getting a convoy across the country to Capernwray . We ’ ve also noticed that the typical variation in trainee ability is more pronounced with larger numbers of trainees , meaning some lessons have taken a little longer than before . But we ’ ve managed very well , sharing the load among our instructor team .
Where do you train ?
After pool training , we visit Eight Acre Lake , near Hull , where we have made use of their bulk club discount scheme , or Capernwray , on the edge of the Lake District , for deeper training . We run our try dives through October and November , then pool training in January to March , in a one-hour slot per week . Then we are ready , and water temperatures are reasonable , for open water training in April and May .
Who is in the training team ?
There are six Open Water Instructors and three Assistant Dive Instructors who deliver our DTP training . We also run refreshers for new members who haven ’ t dived in a while , or have only dived abroad . We have done this for nine new members this year .
What about skill development ?
With assistance from out-of-club instructors , we have run Boat Handling and Nitrox Blending courses ; we now have 19 blenders and a blending instructor in-house . We run compressor operator training , the nitrox workshop ; buoyancy workshop ; accelerated deco ; and drysuit training . Members go outside the club for training too ; we recently had 13 members complete an online Diving For All course , getting us thinking about how to dive with divers with a disability .
Chair Elaine Jenkin presents Karen Robinson with award for services to the club
The club boat , Richard S
Vice Chair Matt Newsome ( left ) presents Martin Jenkin with one of many awards at photo night
What will the future bring ?
The club is looking to replace the RIB with a new , more easily transported vessel to future-proof our diving and allow us to run more expeditions . We want to grow our membership , and its diversity , through both snorkel and dive training , and to continue to promote environmental stewardship . �
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